One Year
by Giant Nickel
Summary: One year together. One year to laugh and cry and kiss and make up. One year to hope. One year to dream. One year to love.
1. January

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, but I fully intend on buying FMA: Brotherhood when it comes out on DVD.

**A/N:**_ Hello out there! So, it's been a long while since I've posted, and an even longer while since I've launched a new idea. Based on the title of this fic, you can make an educated guess as to the timeline. As always, this will be an EdxWin, and definitely of a more domestic nature than some of my past fics. Hope you like!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**January**

Winry Rockbell knew she was grinning like a buffoon. Her eyes were glazed and half-lidded, staring at nothing as her body languished in sated satisfaction, the musky air and fuzzy flannel sheets keeping her a willing prisoner in the well used bed. The warmth in the nineteen year old's bedroom was as comforting as a lover's caress, and everything was so very still that it felt as if time was suspended, the seconds waving congenially at the young woman as they floated past her glassy blue eyes.

Arching her nude back off the bed, Winry stretched her arms about her body, letting out a rumbling groan as her muscles, so strenuously worked over and over in the inky darkness of the night that was soon ending, tightened and burned, reviving the erotic tingles still cruising along every nerve. Fingers splayed, the blond reached with her right hand, knowing she would be met with empty space. Still, her fingertips found the delicious comforting groove and the dim heat that remained tangled in the sheets. She sighed in perfectly pleasant relaxation, tracing the dips and contours in the mattress, recalling with vivid clarity memories of long hair, moist lips, and eyes of molten gold.

Turning on to her belly, the young woman peeked out of her bedroom window. The sky was the color of bluejays, clear and vast, the stars winking out one by one as the sun slowly pushed past the mountains. It was barely dawn, the first day of the new year as striking as a baby's wailing cry upon entering the world. The New Year's Eve Festival, held in Resembool's town square, had been a bright success, full of laughter and song, bawdy jokes, well wishes, good food and even better booze. The whole village had come to celebrate and for Winry, the occasion was made even more memorable for one simple fact.

It was the first New Year's Eve Ed and Al had spent in their hometown since Ed had become a State Alchemist.

After the Promised Day, after Amestris had been saved, after Al was back in his flesh body and Ed was returned his left leg (his arm, given to save his brother's soul and not taken during the backlash from their failed human transmutation, was irretrievable), after the homunculus and their father were gone, after the military coup and Roy Mustang's promotion to Regent, after the quest was complete, there had still been so much to do.

The brothers' recovery was the top priority, but after a scarce three months Ed and Al were mobile and active, eager to help their friends rebuild the nation in Mustang's vision. Winry had joined them in Central, just as excited and enthusiastic as the boys, and when Ed had kissed her for the first time amidst the dust and construction of the new military headquarters, Winry knew that she would stay with the Elrics always, even if they told her to leave.

But it never came to that.

In perhaps the greatest surprise of all, it was Alphonse who left, joining an emissary party headed for the East to show Amestrian support at the formal coronation for the new Xingese Emperor, Ling Yao. Al's departure was harder on his brother than the stubborn alchemist was willing to admit, but Winry saw to it that Ed's time was always full, whether it be working for Roy, helping the citizens of Central rebuild, or keeping him on his toes as they traipsed the strange new waters of their relationship. They spent a year in Central together, learning what it meant to be in love, and just after his eighteenth birthday, Ed was stationed to Southern Command in Dublith. He had asked Winry to go with him, and understanding completely the gravity of his request, she had agreed, leasing a property near the Curtis' butcher shop where she could operate her own automail clinic. By establishing her own roots in the warm southern city, Winry was showing Ed that she was committed to being with him, no matter where the military, or alchemy, or his own heart led him.

Winry liked Dublith well enough and had settled into making it her home easily, the transition made pleasant by the familiarity of Edward and her frequent trips into Rush Valley. Running her own practice was also fruitful and time consuming, and between taking care of her patients and her boyfriend, Winry didn't have the frame of mind to really long for Resembool. After all, before they had moved to Dublith they had lived together in Central, the last two years of holidays celebrated in cities other than their hometown. It wasn't until Ed had made the suggestion that they take two weeks off and telegraph Al to meet them in Resembool for the Winter Solstice that Winry understood just how much she had missed her yellow house and all the warmth kept tucked inside. She had happily agreed to Ed's plans, the sparkle in his eyes betraying his own feelings of homesickness.

The three friends had reunited at the Resembool train station, surprising Pinako by simply showing up on her doorstep the morning before the festivities began, gifts and luggage tucked under their arms and Edward demanding food. Pinako was happy to have the trio, only making a small fuss when Ed made it obnoxiously clear that he would be sleeping with Winry in her bed rather than in the room he and Al had shared for years.

Of course, the reason Pinako had put up even a mild protest had been because she knew what Winry and Ed would get up to in a bed all to themselves. Remembering exactly how she and her boyfriend had rung in the new year, Winry was bashfully thankful that her grandmother had drunk herself into a celebratory stupor and would spend the rest of the day sleeping off her hangover.

Relishing in the comfort of being in her childhood home, the memories as warm as blankets and her skin still flush from her boyfriend's attention, Winry blew a few stray hairs out of her eyes as she stroked Ed's side of the mattress. She wondered how he had the strength to slither out of bed when her own bones felt like jelly, but then, Edward Elric had always had an amazing stamina.

"Morning, sunshine," a husky voice greeted like a low musical note that danced across the peacefulness ensconced in the room. Turning towards the door, Winry watched with more than astonished amusement as Ed plodded heavily into the room, a tray with a fresh pot of coffee and breakfast for two balanced in his arms. Sitting up, Winry fluffed the pillows before arranging the sheets around her torso and chest. "Don't cover up on my account, I like seeing you naked," Ed teased, setting the tray on her lap before taking the percolator and pouring her a steaming cup of coffee. Winry felt her cheeks go pink, not from Ed's masked compliment, but from the simple gesture of him making her breakfast in bed.

Winry had known long before she and Ed had even shared their first awkward kiss that the golden eyed Elric was not, and would never be, a man of romance. Sweet words, swooning passions and artful skills were not part of Edward's makeup. He was harsh and clumsy, shy and very, very private. The fact that Ed made it a point to start every morning and end every night with a kiss on her brow was the most Winry had hoped to expect from her romantically challenged boyfriend. The times when Ed was consciously sweet were few and far between, making them all the more endearing.

Nestling in beside her on the bed, Ed placed his usual morning kiss against her temple before helping himself to a cup of coffee. They sat together in silence, enjoying the early morning and familiar squeaks of the bed springs as they shifted on the mattress.

"I've made my resolution," Ed announced conversationally, biting into a slice of toast topped with jam.

"Well, you're on the ball. It's barely even morning and you already have the next year planned out."

"Don't you wanna know what it is?" he asked slyly, throwing her the cheeky grin he always got when he was thinking about sex.

"What is it, then?" Winry asked, knowing she was going to regret his answer. Placing an arm around her shoulders and burying his nose against the sensitive hollow behind her ear, Ed kissed her throat.

"I've decided that we need to have more nights like last night," he stated, his lips brushing against her warm skin. "So, I've made it my new year's resolution to make love to you all night at least four times a week."

"Ha!" Winry cried, nearly spilling her coffee as she chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" Ed asked, his ego bruised just a tad as he watched his girlfriend giggle. Was the thought of sex with him really that amusing?

"Ed, you and I do it almost every night as it is," Winry explained.

"Yeah, but only once or twice. Last night we did it, what, five times? Six?"

"Nine was my last count, unless you took advantage of me after I passed out," Winry answered. "I hope you don't expect to go for a walk into town today. I don't think my legs work any more. My toes are numb."

"Oh, well," Ed sighed, snuggling closer to Winry, a proud smirk on his face, "I guess we could always take a bath later, get your blood flowing again, or we could –"

"If you don't give me time to eat now then you can forget about doing _anything_ later. Aren't you even a little exhausted? Where do you get all that energy?"

"What can I say? I'm just awesome," Ed joked, flexing his right arm and catching Winry's reflection in the metal. He knew she couldn't resist his automail, and while he had found her obsessive ardor an annoyance when they were younger, he had gradually learned how to use his prosthetic arm to the greatest of his advantage.

"Careful. You're starting to sound like our favorite Regent."

Winry's words doused all of Ed's joviality, and he scowled as he tore into the rest of his toast, wondering if he was losing his charm. His worries, however, were quelled when Winry snuggled against him, her cheek rubbing along his bare shoulder. They ate in silence, watching as the sun continued to crawl above the mountains.

"So, you never told me what you thought of my resolution." Ed broached as he poured himself another cup of coffee.

"I think it's a great idea in theory, but we'll see just how dedicated you are when it comes to the practical application."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ed, we already go at it like rabbits! If we keep it up I'll be barefoot and pregnant before the end of next week."

She chuckled lowly and Ed joined her, their laughter tainted with unspoken unease.

They had never talked of marriage, and so the topic of children – of _their_ children – was buried even further in the realm of issues Ed and Winry were not prepared to discuss. They were only nineteen, barely adults in charge of their own lives. They weren't ready to be responsible for another life and they knew that without having to say the words aloud. Besides, parenthood was a long ways away for the couple. They used protection faithfully and neither one had plans to disturb the comfortable bubble they had constructed for themselves.

They were happy, and a baby would complicate everything.

When they finished their breakfast, Ed stood and moved the tray to Winry's old vanity. She watched him with lazy, loving eyes, admiring the sleek lines of his back and the way his golden hair hugged his neck and shoulders. He was almost devastating to look at sometimes, and for a brief moment, Winry admitted to herself that Ed would make beautiful babies.

A familiar, welcoming desire rushed through the young woman's blood, and when Ed rejoined her in the bed and pulled her close, she kissed him hard, her vigor returning with full force.

"It's still early," she sighed when they broke apart, her breasts pressed perfectly against his chest. "Grandma and Al won't be up for at least another hour."

"I thought your toes were numb," he teased, his body already awakening under her sultry invitation.

"And I thought you wanted to get my blood flowing," Winry countered.

"Well…there is a lot we can do in an hour."

And sealing that promise with a kiss, traces of warm butter, cherry jam and coffee on their breath, the couple worked to fulfill Edward's resolution, keeping each other warm on the cold January morning as Resembool was washed pink in the first dawn of the new year.

* * *

_So, what did you think?_

_I think it's fairly obvious where this fic is going, and let me tell you, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!_

_As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Just no flames, please and thank you!_

_Hugs all around!_

**Giant Nickel**


	2. February

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. _

**A/N:**_ Hello, everyone! So, here's the next chapter in my _One Year_ collection. Just a heads-up, this chapter is especially Winry-centric (Ed only makes his grand entrance in the end) and there are even touches of RoyxRiza, which I've never seriously tried to write before. _

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

**February**

"I'm so sorry, Miss Riza!" Winry panicked, tears collecting in the corners of her eyes as she scraped at the charred mounds of dough that were supposed to be twelve fluffy vanilla cupcakes. "I don't know what's happening to me! I've been so distracted."

"It's alright, Winry. We still have time before the boys get back," the other woman replied calmly. Her words, however, only encouraged the tears that were struggling to break free of Winry's blue eyes to stream down her cheeks in an uncontrollable flood. Dropping the knife she had been using to pry the ruined cupcakes out of their pan, Winry leaned heavily against the countertop, her body locked in jolting tremors as she cried silently. Startled by her friend's emotional crisis, Riza Mustang moved quickly. With reflexes honed from her years as an active soldier, the former lieutenant gently deposited her infant son in the basinet that was nearby before coming up to Winry and pulling the young woman into a comforting embrace.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Winry muttered, burrowing her head against Riza's shoulder as she clutched at the woman's blouse and cried. Riza frowned, her brows crinkling as she muddled over what could have her young friend so upset. Patting her back, Riza waited with patient silence as Winry's tears ran their course. Soon, the mechanic's shoulders stilled and her grip loosened.

"Feeling better?" Riza wondered. Sniffling, Winry nodded her head, rubbing at the tear tracks on her face. "There now," Riza sighed as she offered a handkerchief, "go and sit by Maes and I'll take care of the cupcakes."

"But –"

"Don't worry about it," Riza insisted, pushing Winry towards the bassinet. Her usual fire absent, Winry sluggishly obeyed Riza's order, plunking down in the chair beside the infant's cradle. Frowning, she looked down at the Mustangs' youngest son and offered her finger to his waving hands. Gripping the digit, the baby gargled in delight and began to squeeze, his toothless smile earning just the slightest grin from the young woman.

"Well, little man, do you know that today is your big brothers' birthday? Bert and Christopher are three years old now…they're growing up very fast."

The mechanic sighed, her unspoken troubles contained in that single forlorn sound. As if in response, little Maes squealed shrilly, his garnet eyes, as dark and rich as aged sherry, swiveling with rapt interest as he took in the face of the woman above him. Unable to resist, Winry scooped the three month old into her arms and cradled him gently.

Mixing a fresh batch of dry and wet ingredients into a large bowl, Riza watched the young woman out of the corner of her eye. She observed as Winry made silly nonsense noises, sacrificing all manner of dignity for the reward of Maes' little laugh. When the blond leaned in close to rub her nose against the baby's cheeks and brow, a deep inner light, one that only a woman could understand, glittered in the dark sapphire mines of her eyes. Riza's stomach clenched with knowing intuition when she spotted the sharp reflection. It was a look she was all too familiar with and as she busied herself with stirring the cupcake batter, a gentle smile graced her features.

"Winry?" Riza asked calmly as she carefully poured the mixed batter into the muffin pan. "Are you pregnant?"

A startled cry tore itself from the automail mechanic's throat and a fresh onslaught of tears raced down from her eyes to her chin. Carefully cuddling Maes against her shoulder, Winry rubbed her cheek along the baby's jumper, patting his bottom as she tried to regain control of herself. Maes, detecting the drastic change in the atmosphere, began to fuss in Winry's grip, his giggles quickly changing to distressed murmurs. Horrified that her mood was affecting the baby, Winry swallowed her sobs and began to pace the kitchen, gently rocking Maes as she worked a bit too diligently to comfort him.

Placing the new batch of cupcakes into the oven, Riza watched the frazzled young woman with a sympathetic expression.

"How long?" she asked gently.

"I can't be pregnant!" Winry cried, her screech startling Maes and setting the three month old off into a blotchy faced screaming fit. "Oh no!" Winry wailed, jostling Maes in her arms as she tried to calm the infant.

"Here," Riza offered, taking her son from Winry and giving him a few solid pats on the back as she cooed in his ear. The gestures immediately calmed the boy and he rested placidly in his mother's arms, offering no protest when she placed him back in the basinet.

"I can't be pregnant," Winry repeated. "Look at how pathetic I am. I made Maes cry."

"Maes has had a cold all week and hasn't been sleeping well, so everything sets him off lately. It wasn't you, Winry, honestly."

"Don't try to comfort me, Miss Riza."

"But Winry –"

"How could Ed and I have been so stupid?!"

Falling in defeat onto a stool, Winry held her bowed head in her hands as she tried to process the conundrum of thoughts that were sweeping through her mind. Coming to stand beside her, Riza began to stroke Winry's hair, a simple act that always seemed to settle frazzled nerves. Soon, Winry was leaning into Riza's side, an exhausted sigh shifting her whole body.

"I've had some slight morning sickness the past two weeks, and last weekend my head hurt so bad that I closed the clinic and slept the whole two days. The next night at dinner, the smell of the quiche made my stomach turn," Winry explained. "I'm so mad at myself! Ed, too! We've always been careful, Miss Riza. Ed uses condoms and I've been on an herbal medication for years."

"Then maybe you're just ill. There is a stomach flu going around," Riza suggested helpfully.

"I've thought of that, but my menses are late, almost a month now, and I remembered…well, Ed and I were, um, overzealous this past New Years and I know I forgot to take my herbal drink that morning and, maybe, one of the times we…I think Ed might have forgot to…"

"But you're not sure?" Riza checked.

"I'm sure," Winry nodded, one hand lifting to rest on her abdomen. "There isn't a doubt in my mind, really."

Seeing how small and lost her young friend was on that lonely kitchen stool, Riza pulled Winry against her. She embraced her gently, and waited for Winry to speak, not daring to offer her own advice until asked for it. Winry didn't need a lecture when she was already being hard enough on herself.

"What should I do?" the mechanic finally asked.

"First you need to go to a doctor for a confirmation. And then you need to tell Edward," Riza instructed, patting Winry's cheeks.

"You're right. I actually made an appointment with a doctor in Dublith for next week."

"And Ed?"

Winry bit her bottom lip and looked up at her friend with an imploring expression.

"You know you have to tell him."

"But _how_ do I tell him?"

"Delicately," Riza answered, her solution blunt and honest, the only way to handle Edward Elric.

"Miss Riza, how did you tell Roy you were expecting the twins?"

"I told him in the shower…"

* * *

_Riza studied her reflection in the foggy glass of the medicine cabinet. She didn't think she could detect a glow like all the books and manuals claimed, but there was a new mysterious sparkle dancing in her garnet colored eyes. Aside from the knowing glimmer, there was no hint at her pregnancy other than her breasts were starting to swell, a small fact that her husband – one newly appointed Amestrian Regent, Roy Mustang – had happily noticed, but did not seem to question. Smiling softly around her toothbrush, Riza thought back on the previous six weeks, barely believing how fast the days had gone and all the changes that had passed._

_Before making it through the Promised Day, Riza never would have believed that Roy Mustang had actually wanted to make an honest woman out of her. Their long-term – and extremely secret – love affair had lasted years, since shortly before Roy had joined the State Alchemists. It had culminated during the Ishbaalan War and continued even after Riza was assigned as her lover's subordinate. Their trysts were always cloaked in the shadows of shadows, their love-making rough and fast more often than languishing and tender. They never spent the night at one another's flats, and any sign of intimate affection at headquarters was unquestionably forbidden. The rules had been simple, easy to manage, and not needing the traditional security of vows and a ring, Riza could honestly say she had been happy. So she had been completely caught off guard when, shortly before launching the coup on Central the day of the solar eclipse, Roy had pulled her into the privacy of a sheltered alcove. He took her sharply and splendidly against a cracking plaster wall then promised her as they clumsily straightened their clothes that he would marry her when everything was over. _

_She hadn't protested –there had been no time – and as they had made their way into the underbelly of Central, Riza had believed that neither she nor her commanding officer would make it through the day. She had meant what she said to him in the sewers. If he died, she would follow him, and with no regrets. And yet somehow they had lived, surprisingly unscathed save for a few scars that would heal with time. That night, the first night of a new era, unchristened and magically new, Roy had snuck into Riza's chamber in the infirmary, crawled into her cot, and made sure that he was discovered by several scandalized nurses in the bright yellow dawn. Their affair exposed, the only option they had was to marry if Roy was to continue raising up in the ranks of the military. Somehow, Riza knew that had been his plan all along. _

_They were married by a Justice of the Peace in the Elrics' hospital room, the brothers, Miss Rockbell, and their few trusted comrades present as witnesses. _

_Married life wasn't that much more chaotic than a solitary lifestyle. The reconstruction took up a great deal of both Roy and Riza's time and the only issue they seemed to clash over was which apartment they would take up permanent residence in as the Mustangs. However, ten days after the Promised Day, Roy was elected to the position of Regent to oversee the reconstruction and reorganization of the military. As compensation, he had been given a lovely two story house for the duration of his term. The home was spacious, almost too big for a newlywed couple, but giving her belly a quick glance, Riza noted that in less than eight months, she and her husband would no longer be alone. _

_"…try and sneak out of my meeting with Armstrong early. I swear, Riza, that woman has a set of brass balls on her bigger than Alex's biceps."_

_Hearing her husband's voice from behind the shower curtain, Riza finished brushing her teeth and smiled fondly at his masculine silhouette. In the assault on the homunculus and their father, they had fought for the chance to have everything they were entitled to as human beings, love and marriage and children, too._

_"We should go over that trading agreement with Creta after the afternoon debriefing, and I want to look over those figures for the supply trucks we're sending to the refugee camps at Ishbal. If that damn Simmerman tries to challenge me at council again I'll –"_

_What horrible fiery tortures Roy had planned for the irksome Simmerman would remain a mystery lost to the bathroom tiles. As her husband had started to rant, Riza pulled back the shower curtain and kissed his thin frowning lips. Though his surprise resulted in a stream of shampoo falling into his eyes, Roy ignored the sting and kissed his wife back greedily, his wet arms coming up to loop around her back and soak her dressing gown. _

_"Good morning," she sighed, smiling warmly at his chiseled face._

_"Good morning," he growled back, nipping at her neck, his mind no longer on the duties of a Regent. "Want to join me?"_

_Taking a moment to enjoy his ministrations, Riza soon pulled back and regarded her husband with a long, adoring stare before refusing his tempting offer._

_"Too bad," he smirked, "I could have really used the distraction."_

_Pulling the curtain back into place, Roy began to hum to himself as he continued to wash. Moving to leave the bathroom, Riza turned back to regard her husband and decided that if he wanted a distraction, it was her duty as his wife to provide him with one._

_"I'm pregnant," she announced, sure that her voice carried over the sound of the falling water. As she left the room, Riza noted that Roy's humming had come to a sudden halt…_

* * *

"I don't think he came out of the bathroom for over an hour. He was late to all his meetings that day and was delayed at headquarters," Riza recalled with a fond smile.

"But was he…was he glad?" Winry wondered, her voice laden with anxious concern.

"I was already in bed by the time he came home. He laid down beside me, and held me gently, and he put both his hands here," Riza rested her palms lightly on her lower belly. "He was already picking out names by the next morning, and when we found out we were having twins, well…he was almost impossible. He was happy, Winry. Truly happy."

"Do you think Ed –"

"Just remember that finding out you're pregnant is a major shock. It's new and exciting and scary. You're feeling all of that and he will, too. So, if his first reaction isn't what you expect or even like, don't think he isn't happy."

"I'm not ready for this, Miss Riza."

"I'm not sure any of us ever are. But you're getting ahead of yourself. Find out if you're pregnant first. And if you need anything –"

"Momma!" a chorus of two cheered, followed by the clamor of an excited bark as Black Hayate followed the children into the house.

"You'll call me," Riza ordered gently. "Roy and I will help you both."

Agreeing to her friend's command, Winry checked on the cupcakes while Riza went to the foyer to greet her twin sons.

"Did you have fun playing broom ball at the park?" Riza asked, helping her boys out of their winter coats and boots. "Christopher don't just dump those brooms on the floor! Put them in the closet."

"We hit the ball, Momma," Bert stated proudly.

"We beat Shrimp Man!" Christopher announced loudly as he rushed into the kitchen. "Hi, Miss Win!"

"Hello, Christopher. And where is Shrimp Man?"

"Him an' Daddy are comin'," the boy answered as he hoisted himself up onto a stool, his nose greedily sniffing at the cupcake laden air. Bert and Riza entered the kitchen hand-in-hand and the younger twin stopped to gently pat the head of his baby brother.

The boys were the unmistakable spitting image of their father. They had his hair and eyes, even his cocky smile when they believed they were being clever, although, traces of Riza were beginning to make themselves evident, especially in the boys' personalities. A mingled urge and excitement to see her own child raised alongside the Mustang boys struck Winry powerfully and she had to swallow the fresh wave of tears that threatened to spill.

It wouldn't do her any good to think about such things, not until she was certain she was expecting.

"That was a cheap shot, Mustang!" Ed bellowed as he and Roy came into the house. The sound of her boyfriend's irritated insults and the Regent's amused chuckles made the mechanic roll her eyes. Even at a birthday party, Ed could never seem to keep his temper in check.

"It's the boys' birthday, Ed. The least you could do is let them win a silly game of broom ball."

"And how the hell are they supposed to learn about sportsmanship if you just let them win?" Ed demanded.

"They're three."

"So what? They gotta learn some time."

"Fine. When you're a father and we play broom ball with your spawn, I'll let you push me," Roy agreed with false sincerity.

"You body checked me into the damn snow bank!"

Listening as Ed continued to rant, and her stomach fluttering at Roy's innocent remark, Winry found herself struggling to save face. Still, as the twins began to banter over who would get to feed Black Hayate a dog treat and Roy and Ed continued their own silly disagreement in the foyer, Winry placed a hand over her belly and wondered.

"Will I be good enough?"

"If you're asking yourself that, then you'll be wonderful," Riza answered confidently. Appreciative of the assurance her friend offered, Winry found the strength to smile and took the cupcakes out of the oven.

* * *

_And so goes another month. Only ten more to go!_

_Anyway, I just wanted to leave a little explanation on the Mustang twins. I chose the names Christopher and Bert for the following reasons: Christopher is a tribute to Madame Christmas, Roy's aunt, and Bert is short for Berthold, which I understand was the name of Riza's father. Then, of course, we have baby Maes, named for our near and dearly departed brigadier general. As for Ed, Winry and their baby…well, you'll just have to wait and see._

_So, thanks so much for taking interest in this story. If you would like to review, I would very much appreciate it. No flames, please and thank you!_

_Warmest regards,_

**Giant Nickel**


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